US Warnings For Driving in Haiti

This is from the State Dept. website. I found it amusing.
"Those who drive in Haiti should do so defensively and conservatively, avoid
confrontations such as jockeying for position, and remain aware of the
vehicles around them. Drivers should carry the phone numbers of people to
call for assistance in an emergency, as Haitian authorities are unlikely to
respond to requests for assistance. When traveling outside of
Port-au-Prince, drivers should caravan with other vehicles to avoid being
stranded in the event of an accident or breakdown.

Although written and driving tests are required to qualify for driver's
licenses, road laws are not generally known or applied. Signaling imminent
actions is not widely practiced and not all drivers use turn indicators or
international hand signals properly. For instance, many drivers use their
left blinker for all actions, including turning right and stopping in the
road, and others flap their left arm out the window to indicate that they
will be taking an unspecified action. Drivers do not always verify that the
road is clear before switching lanes, turning, or merging.

Speed limits are seldom posted and are generally ignored. Speeding is the
cause of many of the fatal traffic accidents in Haiti, as are overloaded
vehicles on winding, mountainous roads and vehicles without brakes. Poor
maintenance and mechanical failures often cause accidents as well. Drivers
should be particularly cautious at night, as unlighted vehicles can appear
without warning.

Right of way is not widely observed in Haiti, and there are few operational
traffic lights or traffic signs. It is advisable at most intersections to
stop and verify that there is no oncoming traffic even if it appears that
you have the right of way. Drivers can be quite aggressive and will seldom
yield. Walls built to the edge of roads frequently make it impossible to see
around corners, forcing drivers to edge their cars into the road at
intersections to check for oncoming traffic.

In addition to vehicles, a variety of other objects may appear on the road
in Haiti, such as wooden carts dragged by people, small ice cream carts,
animals, mechanics working on vehicles parked on the street, and even
vendors and their wares. Vehicles are often abandoned in the road or by the
side of the road. There are few marked crosswalks and sidewalks, and
pedestrians often wend their way through traffic in urban areas."

That being said....off we go!